On 6 April, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines' Boudicca inaugurated the cruise shipping season at the Port of Kiel.

The GT 28,388 cruise ship, which set off from Dover on a 10 day long journey on 3 April, sailed through the Kiel Canal during the night and arrived in the morning in the Kiel Fiord. From there it was escorted by a tug to the Ostseekai Cruise Terminal. Since it was Boudicca's first ever call in Kiel, Hans-Werner Tovar, Kiel City President, welcomed the ship's captain, Juha Sartela, with a maiden visit plaque.

According to registrations, the Port of Kiel will host 32 different cruise ships during the 2018 season. These vessels, out of which seven will pay maiden visits to Kiel, will call 166 times at the port, serving around 600k guests. The GT 139,000 MSC Preziosa will be the biggest cruise vessel to call Kiel this year.

"Kiel is the cruise shipping hub for the Schleswig-Holstein region. Ship passengers generate turnover of about €10 million a year and are of great importance for the local economy," Dirk Claus, Managing Director, the Port of Kiel, highlighted.

Photo: Port of Kiel